Aircraft propeller



Oct. 31, 1950 T. B. MARTIN ETAL 2,528,281

AIRCRAFT PROPELLER Filed May 3o, 1945 Y 2 sheets-sheet 1 mnmuunuuh Oct. 31J 1950 T. B. MARTIN :TAL

AIRCRAFT PROPELLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 30, 1945 INVENTORS THOMAS B, MART/N /V KENNETH L. ERNINGER BY Mr, Mo *f2-r Than* ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 3l, 1950 Dayton, Ohio, r assignors lto General. MotorsV 'Corpration,.Det1-oit, Mich., a. corporation of Belav This invention relates to torque unitsandblade mountings' for aircraft propellers.

One of the objects ofthe invention iste/pro'- videa torque unit fora propeller bladethatwill Ihave the maximum area possible for the cross section ofbla'de used.

Another objectlof the invention is topro- `vide a torque unit for a propeller unit that can lbe assembled and adjusted from the out end of a` 'piston by which the shift in blade pitch is accomplished.

` A still further objectof the invention is-'to provide a propeller blade with av separable root portion leading to the exchange and replacement of blades without loss of time `and' withoutffdis- 'turbance of associated structure.

Further objects'and advantages of' thepresent invention will be'apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings Vwherein a preferred `embodiment of the present invention is clearlyv shown. Y

In thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a'longitudinal sectionalLview ofya propeller blade and torque unit` mounted' inthe socket of a propeller hub. -r

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the same structure with parts moved in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in section transverse to the socket substantially as indicated by the lines and arrows 3 3 of Fig.` 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded viewof the assembly, illustrating the general order and relation of parts beingassembled.

In one type of controllable pitch propellers,

`that is, where the propellervblades are each susl ceptible of 'rotating about their longitudinal axes within a retaining socket, for shifting the' blade unit that are housed within -a'vhollow root portion in the blade. area of the piston'isf controlled by the cros's'secn tional dimension'of the hollowroot, and when'a complete pressure unit is housed within the pro peller vblade root the active area of' the piston is comparatively small andy of low eiiiciency as `compared with the 'forces required `for shifting the blade thru any pitchangle. --Theinstantfin- Where that 4is done the lactive `vventionirmakes possible thei'use-'o'ffa pressure v:fchambenhaving the 'maximum 'activel area for ftheltbla'de construction involved. That is'zac- .complishedlbyiusing the hollow root portion or 55 fzthebladeuitself. aslthefluid cylinder' and fitting within'g it as. large Va piston as is possible.

= IL-A preferred construction adoptingthe improve- 1 ments :is disclosed in Vthe attached drawing vwherein va rotatable propeller shaft IE) has a Aloisplined engagement l2 with a hub I4 where itis retained by means: of the usual cone i5 and Shaftnut I8. The lhub Idprovides'a plurality of Abosses centered at the bottom of blade ""sockets22 within `which are anchored blades til. 15 *Anlaft extension 26 of the hub supports a'regulator 28 that contains. controlling apparatus that `developsiand directs uid pressure to one or the .f other.1 oflaipair of-luidpassages 30 and 32 each ending infachamberfll and' of the hub boss 2Q. 20 Seated-'around ktheboss 2E) there is .anfantb '.-friction-:bearing y35 that pilots the butt end t?) of a blade root 38. The blade root being'secured Cinfplac'e-by stack bearings 4i! disposedfwithin the `socketz22 and retained rby aringnut threaded Zfintotheendiof the socket-22, A4 100k-platen Landfscrewfdevice I6' operateto secure ther-"nut -iagainst turning since `the lock plate MJ is disposed 'fin aligning. edge notches v 48 of the socketI 221 and ii ring `nutllZ. .In the present' instance the hollow 30.3rot 382comprises'a'sleeve member having .astep 40-ordinates'w'ithrotation of one blade root all @of the'oth'ersj -j- Y r The smaller of the step bore of the root-portion is helicallysplined atllfsucl as to' cooperate" with "external splin 60 onthe u'tside of the piston Skirt E2 that' i'S-"lnterly 'Spllledl at 64 t0F intel"- engagegwith vexterior splines 66 of a hollowV spindle T68. 4The *hollowl spindle` 68 is secured to the hub lbss 2ll"bymeansyof` a" cap nut lil passing thru a "bottorrr'wall 12 lof the spindle and threading-.into

kll'the4` boss 20. "The cap nutlll anchoring'a trans- '-fer"tube"f'-14 `thatope'ns 'into aA passage 34,k The bottom-iwan 'I2 of the hollow spindley is outwardly anged'atl' to t withinithe smaller1 bore of the hollow root portion 5 and seats a'fluid .seal F8 fwvhichis coveredY by aprotector ring toprevent chang by engagement with the interior spline 58 of the root portion. Cross passages 82 thru the wall of the hollow spindle equalize the pressure and make for fluid ilow from within the hollow spindle to the spline connection between the spindle, the piston skirt and the root splines.

Disposed to move Within the chamber 50 of the hollow root there is a piston 84 that is peripherally grooved to receive a seal ring 86 held in place by a ange 88 of the piston skirt 82 which threads upon the piston 84 at 90 and is locked by cross pin 82. Centrally of the piston head 84 there is a tubular boss 04 that is apertured to pass the transfer tube 14. A seal ring 86 and nut device 98 proong the slidable connection against leakage of pressure uid. Thus the piston 84 spindle head 12 and root portionv 38 form a pressure chamber within the hollow spindle 68 from which fluid communication'isy made from the chamber 36 by the transfer tube 32. The outer side of the piston 84 is bounded by the chamber 50 which is closed 01T by movable head member having a flange |02 tting within the bore 50 against which is seated the luid seal ring |04 retained in place by a keeper ring |06 and a snap ring |08, a removable head assembly being retained in a selected position within a bore 50 by snap ring ||0 seated in an internal groove of the chamber. If so desired the removable head member may carry balance" washers or shims ||2 which are centrally located and retained by means of a screw ||4. With such an assembly and construction the piston assembly 84 with its skirt 62 is capable of movement within the chamber 50 between the head member |00 and a radially outward member and a member 68 which constitutes stops for the maximum movement of the piston. In any position of the piston within the cylinder, communication with the chamber 50 is made thru the transfer tube 54, chamber 34, and the passage 30.

The blade root portion 38 constitutes a separable part from the blade proper 24 and is accomplished by extending the tubular member with a hollow extension ||6 thru which access may be had to the removable head |00 and piston 84. The extension ||6 joins the root portion 38 with a shoulder ||8 against which seats `the terminating end of ilange of the blade after telescopically engaging about the extension ||6. The flange |20 joins the shank of the blade |22 by a rounded shoulder |24 against which seats a ller piece |26 cammed into binding relation by a cam channel |28 of a blade coupling nut |30. The latter being threaded upon the blade root 38 as atv |32. A locating pin or dowel 34 set into the shoulder ||8 engages a recess or socket in the flange |20 such as to orient the blade 24 with respect to the gear segment 52.

Coupling and uncoupling of the blade `24 in blade root 38 may be easily and quickly accomplished by manipulation of the ynut which will either lock or release the filler ring |26.

When the nut is` loosened sufliciently a filler ring may be moved to the wider portion of the groove |28 which will allow withdrawalof the blade flange |20 from the nut |30. That being accomplished the extension |6 is thence opened to remove all obstruction to removal of the head member |00. On removal of the head member |00 the piston assembly may be withdrawn and replaced as desired. These provisions also make it possible to adjust the yblade settings with respect to one another and thereby effect Ytracking of the blades or setting of a minimum blade angle. The provisions for doing so are illustrated in Fig. 2 where the blade proper is indicated as having been removed from about the extension ||6 to aord adjustment or assembly of the parts.

In assembling the propeller it is customary to follow the procedure indicated in Fig. 4 in which a xed spindle 68 with bearing 34 are secured to the hub boss 20 and there locked securely in position. The blade root portion 38 is thence assembled within their respective sockets where they are retained by the bearings 40 with nut 42 and lock device 44. At this stage the blade roots are properly oriented by timing so to speak, the blade segments 52 by the master gear 54. Next there is brought into position a piston assembly 84 which is extended thru the portion ||6 and caused to interengage with the splines in a predetermined manner. Following this the head assembly 00 is positioned within the exltension ||6 and the snap' ring ||0 seated in its groove. The whole assembly is thence completed by attaching the blade 24 to the root portion as has been indicated and tightening of the nut |30, whereupon the assembly will be complete and ready for operation.

In initial assembly of the parts, and occasionally during the life of the propeller it is desired to establish a predetermined interengagement of the splines to eiTect a low pitch setting or to change that setting when the propeller is installed upon a different engine combination. The dimensions, arrangements, and provisions are such that the blade roots mounted on their sockets may be turned therein to a certain specied angular relation which is usually accomplished by means of the jig or index strip |40 as shown by the dot and dash line Fig. 3 located in a particular notch 48 in a socket edge and coinciding with a stripe mark or index mark carried by the blade root 38. The piston assembly 84 usually carries proper indicia and graduations such as indicated'by |42 that give an index as to the spline engagement that is proper for aci complishing a particular minimum angle of blade setting.

Making use of a specific example, and assuming that the indicia carried byr the piston assembly is, Index 38, Socket 2, Angle 24.4 etc., which means that the specified angle setting of 24.4 degrees is accomplished when that piston head is so oriented with the blade root 38 that the tooth number 38 coincides with an established reference point on the root portion 38, and also coincides with a particular tooth or spline of the spindle 68. To assist in the alignment, a jig or reference strip |40 is used that fits within a specified notch 48 in the edge of the socket, the jig having an index mark |44 that alfords a temporary reference point. Following the indicia and information on the piston assembly, the angle mark 38 is adjusted to be coincident with the basic reference mark on the root -`member 38. This is accomplished by the piston assembly within the chamber 50 withdrawn from engagement with the splines 58 and 56 as shown in Fig. 2. While the parts are in this relation, that is, with the splines 58 and 56 disengaged, the piston assembly may be rotated relative to the root portion 38 by means of a special tool applied to the piston assembly at Ulti When proper radial alignment is established between the number 38 tooth or the piston member and the basic reference on the root portion 38, then the piston assembly is depressed somewhat or until the splines 58 and E0 are engaged, but not so far that the splines 64 and 68 are engaged. At the time of this partial engagement of the splines 58 and 60 then rotation ol the engaged piston and root'portion will align the tooth 38 and basic reference on the root portion with the index mark |44 on the jig or strip |40, upon which further depressing movement of the piston head will engage the splines 84 and 68. If the coordination of the blade settings has been perfected then further depression of the piston within the chamber will secure the angular relation of the blade root with the spindle. Otherwise the blade root and piston assembled therewith may be turned within the socket until the scale |40 .and root indicia indicate the proper relation, which can be followed by further depression of the piston to engage the splines 66. Seating of the head assembly |00 secures the splined relation and prevents any derangement until the head is again withdrawn. Thus to adjust the minimum blade angle it is only necessary to separate the blade from its root portion, leaving the root portion within the socket, make the change and recouple the blade to the root portion.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a controllable pitch propeller, the combination comprising, a hub providing blade sockets, a fluid pressure actuated unit mounted in the socket for shifting the blade to different pitch settings, including a propeller blade hollow root portion journalled in the socket and having driven relation with said pressure actuated unit, a hollow stub extending from the root to surround the pressure actuated unit, a propellei` blade having a shank enveloping the hollow stub, means dening the angular relation of the blade shank and stub, .and self-seating means for locking the blade shank on the stub in defined angular relation.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein thelocking means comprises a threaded ring on the end ofV` the root portion and having an undercut, a, spring ring lodged in the undercut, and a shoulder on the exterior of the blade shank to be engaged bythe spring ring when the threaded ring is run down on the root portion.

3. In an aircraft propeller having a hub with blade sockets, the combination comprising, a tubular member providing a uid pressure cylinder journalled'for rotation in said sockets, a spindle secured to the hub piloting the tubular member at its radially'inward end, a, piston having helical spline engagement with the tubular member and the spindle, a removable head member secured within the radially outward end of the tubular member, said piston being progressively disengageable from the spindle spline and the tubular spline without removal from the tubular member, whereby the tubular member may be indexed relative to the blade socket when the head member is removed, a propeller blade carried by the tubular member, and coupling means for securing the blade on the tubular member in a predetermined angular relation.

THOMAS B. MARTIN. KENNETH L. BERNINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 798,078 Simpson Aug. 29, 1905 2,113,438 Allred Apr. 5, 1938 2,147,078 Barish Feb. 14, 1939 2,307,101 Blanchard et al Jan. 5, 1943 2,375,429 Martin May 8, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 99,774 Sweden Sept. 3, 1940 499,518 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1939 539,303 Great Britain Sept. 4, 1941 775,507 France Dec. 31, 1934 

